Solstice Dental Customer Service — Professional Overview

Solstice Dental customer service is the structured set of policies, people, and technologies that ensure patients move from first contact to long-term loyalty with speed, clarity, and clinical confidence. A robust customer service program reduces no-shows, increases case acceptance, and protects the practice’s reputation. In our recommended model we separate front-office operations (scheduling, verification, payments) from patient experience functions (education, follow-up, complaints) while maintaining a single source of truth in the practice management system.

The approach below is written as an implementable blueprint: explicit KPIs, staffing guidance, escalation timelines, pricing examples for software, and sample contact templates you can copy into patient communications. Where I provide numeric examples (response times, fees, software costs, staffing ratios), treat them as industry-tested starting points that should be adjusted to your local market and compliance rules.

Core customer service processes and KPIs

Define and measure processes. At intake, verify demographics and insurance within one phone call or online form completion; at booking, confirm the appointment with an automated SMS 72 and 24 hours before visit; at checkout, present estimates and collect deposits when appropriate. These process anchors create consistent patient expectations and reduce late cancellations. Use your practice management system to timestamp every interaction so you can audit and train against real behavior.

Below are high-value KPIs to track continuously; these targets are based on high-performing practices and serve as actionable goals to evaluate staff and vendors. Replace sample numbers with your local baseline and re-evaluate quarterly.

• Phone answer rate: ≥ 95% of incoming calls answered live within 3 rings (≈15 seconds).
• First-contact resolution (scheduling/insurance): ≥ 85% resolved on first interaction.
• Average phone handle time: 4–6 minutes for new patients, 2–3 minutes for routine calls.
• Patient satisfaction (CSAT): ≥ 90% positive (post-visit survey delivered within 48 hours).
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): target +40 or higher for mature practices.
• No-show rate: < 5% with automated reminders and deposits; acceptable up to 8% in high-volume settings.
• Complaint acknowledgment: within 24 hours; resolution target within 7 business days.

Staffing, training, and escalation

For a single-location clinic with 4–6 operatories, typical staffing is 2–3 front-desk team members per shift (one primary scheduler, one insurance/verification specialist), 1–2 clinical assistants, and a dedicated patient-care coordinator for complex treatment plans. During peak hours (8:00–11:00, 13:00–16:00) schedule overlap so one staffer can triage calls while another checks in patients. Cross-train at least 50% of front-office staff to perform insurance verification and financial counseling during staff shortages.

Documentation of escalation paths prevents delays. Example escalation timeline: if a patient files a complaint, front desk acknowledges in 24 hours, the practice manager reviews within 48 hours, and the treating dentist issues a clinical response or proposed remedy within 5 business days. Track every escalation in your CRM; resolution notes should include action taken, any refunds or write-offs (document amounts and approvals), and a root-cause analysis for trends.

Technology, channels, and budgets

Adopt an omnichannel approach: voice calls remain primary for urgent issues, SMS for confirmations and two-way short messages, email for detailed instructions (pre-op/post-op), and a secure patient portal for HIPAA-sensitive documents. Typical software costs vary: cloud phone platforms $25–$75/user/month, appointment-booking suites $50–$300/month for a single location, SMS gateway costs $0.01–$0.05 per message depending on volume. Integrations between phone, PMS, and portals reduce manual entry and improve accuracy.

Tele-dentistry is useful for triage and post-op checks; plan for short virtual visits priced at $25–$75 depending on complexity and local reimbursement. Maintain a clear privacy policy and ensure all video platforms are HIPAA-compliant if you operate in the U.S. Example website and contact placeholders for patient-facing materials: Solstice Dental (sample) — Phone: (555) 555-0123; Address: 1234 Solstice Ave, Suite 200, Anytown, ST 00000; Website: https://www.solsticedental.example. Replace with your practice’s actual data before publication.

Handling complaints, refunds, and legal considerations

Complaints management should be standardized: immediate acknowledgement, fact-gathering, proposed remedy, and follow-up. Typical remedies include partial refunds (average $25–$150 depending on issue), complimentary hygiene add-on for service complaints, or full refund in documented cases of non-delivery. Maintain written records for every refund and require manager approval above a set threshold (for example, >$150 requires director approval).

Compliance considerations: for U.S. practices, adhere to HIPAA safeguarding of patient information and follow state rules on clinical record retention (use a baseline of 6 years for adult dental records unless state law requires longer). Train staff annually on privacy, consent for text messaging, and standardized apology language to avoid admissions of liability when appropriate. Legal counsel should review complaint templates, refund policies, and social media response protocols.

Measuring, auditing, and continuous improvement

Use monthly and quarterly audits to convert data into action. Monthly metrics to review: phone answer rate, CSAT, NPS, no-show rate, average days to treatment acceptance, and online booking conversion. Audit a sample of 30 patient interactions per month (calls, SMS transcripts, portal messages) and score them against a 20-point quality rubric that includes courtesy, accuracy, and compliance.

• Monthly audit checklist (example): sample 30 interactions; review 10 random estimates for accuracy; measure time-to-first-contact for new lead (goal ≤24 hours); review 10 post-visit surveys for recurring issues; verify that staff training hours meet the 4-hour/month standard.

Allocate a portion of gross revenue to patient experience—start with 1–3% for software, training, and minor incentives. Iterate: run one service test each quarter (A/B test reminder timing, message wording, or deposit amount) and measure impact on no-shows and case acceptance. Continuous small experiments, governed by the KPIs above, are the most reliable path to measurable improvement.

Does solstice dental cover implants?

Solstice’s Dental Implant Services
Solstice proudly offers savings on implants with specific co-payments, abutments, prosthesis removal, crowns, and more. Learn more about Solstice’s Dental Implant Coverage. Curious about other products and plans offered by Solstice? We have a dental plan that meets your needs!

Is Solstice an insurance company?

Solstice Health Insurance Company is a Accident and Health Insurer pursuant to the New York Insurance Code offering.

What is the phone number for Zelis dental?

877.828.8770
We are here to help. Contact client services at 877.828. 8770 or [email protected] and a Zelis representative will contact you to assist.

Is Solstice part of UnitedHealthcare?

UnitedHealthcare Solstice Dental Health Maintenance Organization, or DHMO, is a network of Provider Groups who have agreed to offer specific services at negotiated rates to participating members.

How to cancel solstice dental?

If you want to cancel your account or if you have any questions about canceling, please contact us at [email protected] or 845-853-0768.

What is the phone number for Solstice Dental Plan?

1.877.760.2247
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